Construction work has started on the new long term operations and maintenance facilities for RWE Innogy UK’s flagship Gwynt y Môr Offshore Wind Farm.
The multi-million complex at the Port of Mostyn, North Wales, will house more than 100 long term staff providing engineering, technician, management and administrative services throughout the operational lifetime of the wind farm. Cheshire based Pochin Construction Ltd has been awarded a contract worth more than £3 million to design and build the new facilities, which are scheduled to be completed at the end of this year.
This will coincide with the end of the construction of the 160 turbine wind farm which will be capable of generating 576 MW of electricity from wind energy, enough to power approximately 400,000 homes – or around one third of the total number of households in Wales.
RWE Innogy UK project manager, Stuart Quinton-Tulloch, said: “This is an important step in establishing North Wales as the long term home of Gwynt y Môr. More than 100 staff and apprentices will be based here over the 25 year lifetime of the project, with the new building providing office space, marine co-ordination and control room functions along with welfare and warehousing. Alongside our new 10-berth pontoon carrying increasing numbers of wind farm technicians to and from the offshore site, this new development will further enhance the bespoke facilities we have established locally to support this prestigious offshore wind farm.”
Chris Whittaker, contracts manager at Pochin Construction Ltd , said: “Having a positive impact on the local area and local economy is a priority on all of our projects and evident in our work across Wales. To date, we have placed 38 per cent of the contract value with Welsh companies, and will target local labour wherever possible.”
The construction of Gwynt y Môr to date has enabled the injection of over £350 million into the UK supply chain. At the same time, North Wales Communities have been consulted on how to most usefully invest over £19 million in community funding over the wind farm’s working lifetime. This is in addition to a £690,000 Tourism Fund.
Press Release, April 15, 2014; Image: rwe